the village rector-第39章

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little　boy　whom　the　grandfather　and　grandmother　were　taking　care　of；
and　Monsieur　Bonnet　obtained　the　child。〃

〃Does　no　one　know　what　became　of　the　mother？〃

〃No　one；〃　said　Colorat。　〃The　girl　felt　that　she　was　ruined；　she　was
afraid　to　stay　in　her　own　village。　She　went　to　Paris。　What　is　she
doing　there？　Well；　that's　the　question；　but　you　might　as　well　hunt　for
a　marble　among　the　stones　on　that　plain　as　look　for　her　there。〃

They　were　now　riding　up　the　ascent　to　the　chateau　as　Colorat　pointed
to　the　plain　below。　Madame　Sauviat；　evidently　uneasy；　Aline　and　the
other　servants　were　waiting　at　the　gate；　not　knowing　what　to　think　of
this　long　absence。

〃My　dear；〃　said　Madame　Sauviat；　helping　her　daughter　to　dismount；　〃you
must　be　very　tired。〃

〃No；　mother；〃　replied　Madame　Graslin；　in　so　changed　a　voice　that
Madame　Sauviat　looked　closely　at　her　and　then　saw　the　mark　of　tears。

Madame　Graslin　went　to　her　own　rooms　with　Aline；　who　took　her　orders
for　all　that　concerned　her　personal　life。　She　now　shut　herself　up　and
would　not　even　admit　her　mother；　when　Madame　Sauviat　asked　to　enter；
Aline　stopped　her；　saying；　〃Madame　has　gone　to　sleep。〃

The　next　day　Veronique　rode　out　attended　by　Maurice　only。　In　order　to
reach　the　Roche…Vive　as　quickly　as　possible　she　took　the　road　by　which
she　had　returned　the　night　before。　As　they　rode　up　the　gorge　which
lies　between　the　mountain　peak　and　the　last　hill　of　the　forest　（for；
seen　from　the　plain；　the　Roche…Vive　looks　isolated）　Veronique
requested　Maurice　to　show　her　the　house　in　which　Farrabesche　lived　and
then　to　hold　the　horses　and　wait　for　her；　she　wished　to　go　alone。
Maurice　took　her　to　a　path　which　led　down　on　the　other　side　of　the
Roche…Vive　and　showed　her　the　thatched　roof　of　a　dwelling　half　buried
in　the　mountain；　below　which　lay　the　nursery　grounds。　It　was　then
about　mid…day。　A　light　smoke　issued　from　the　chimney。　Veronique
reached　the　cottage　in　a　few　moments；　but　she　did　not　make　her
presence　known　at　once。　She　stood　a　few　moments　lost　in　thoughts　known
only　to　herself　as　she　gazed　on　the　modest　dwelling　which　stood　in　the
middle　of　a　garden　enclosed　with　a　hedge　of　thorns。

Beyond　the　lower　end　of　the　garden　lay　several　cares　of　meadow　land
surrounded　by　an　evergreen　hedge；　the　eye　looked　down　on　the　flattened
tops　of　fruit　trees；　apple；　pear；　and　plum　trees　scattered　here　and
there　among　these　fields。　Above　the　house；　toward　the　crest　of　the
mountain　where　the　soil　became　sandy；　rose　the　yellow　crowns　of　a
splendid　grove　of　chestnuts。　Opening　the　railed　gate　made　of　half…
rotten　boards　which　enclosed　the　premises；　Madame　Graslin　saw　a
stable；　a　small　poultry…yard　and　all　the　picturesque　and　living
accessories　of　poor　homes；　which　have　so　much　of　rural　poesy　about
them。　Who　could　see　without　emotion　the　linen　fluttering　on　the
hedges；　the　bunches　of　onions　hanging　from　the　eaves；　the　iron
saucepans　drying　in　the　sun；　the　wooden　bench　overhung　with
honeysuckle；　the　stone…crop　clinging　to　the　thatch；　as　it　does　on　the
roofs　of　nearly　all　the　cottages　in　France；　revealing　a　humble　life
that　is　almost　vegetative？

It　was　impossible　for　Veronique　to　come　upon　her　keeper　without　his
receiving　due　notice；　two　fine　hunting　dogs　began　to　bark　as　soon　as
the　rustling　of　her　habit　was　heard　on　the　dried　leaves。　She　took　the
end　of　it　over　her　arm　and　advanced　toward　the　house。　Farrabesche　and
his　boy；　who　were　sitting　on　a　wooden　bench　outside　the　door；　rose　and
uncovered　their　heads；　standing　in　a　respectful　attitude；　but　without
the　least　appearance　of　servility。

〃I　have　heard；〃　said　Veronique；　looking　attentively　at　the　boy；　〃that
you　take　much　care　of　my　interests；　I　wished　to　see　your　house　and　the
nurseries；　and　ask　you　a　few　questions　relating　to　the　improvements　I
intend　to　make。〃

〃I　am　at　madame's　orders；〃　replied　Farrabesche。

Veronique　admired　the　boy；　who　had　a　charming　face　of　a　perfect　oval；
rather　sunburned　and　brown　but　very　regular　in　features；　the　forehead
finely　modelled；　orange…colored　eyes　of　extreme　vivacity；　black　hair
cut　straight　across　the　brow　and　allowed　to　hang　down　on　either　side
of　the　face。　Taller　than　most　boys　of　his　age；　the　little　fellow　was
nearly　five　feet　high。　His　trousers；　like　his　shirt；　were　of　coarse
gray　linen；　his　waistcoat；　of　rough　blue　cloth　with　horn　buttons　much
worn　and　a　jacket　of　the　cloth　so　oddly　called　Maurienne　velvet；　with
which　the　Savoyards　like　to　clothe　themselves；　stout　hob…nailed　shoes；
and　no　stockings。　This　costume　was　exactly　like　that　of　his　father；
except　that　Farrabesche　had　on　his　head　the　broad…brimmed　felt　hat　of
the　peasantry；　while　the　boy　had　only　a　brown　woollen　cap。

Though　intelligent　and　animated；　the　child's　face　was　instinct　with
the　gravity　peculiar　to　all　human　beings　of　any　age　who　live　in
solitude；　he　seemed　to　put　himself　in　harmony　with　the　life　and　the
silence　of　the　woods。　Both　Farrabesche　and　his　son　were　specially
developed　on　their　physical　side；　possessing　many　of　the
characteristics　of　savages；piercing　sight；　constant　observation；
absolute　self…control；　a　keen　ear；　wonderful　agility；　and　an
intelligent　manner　of　speaking。　At　the　first　glance　the　boy　gave　his
father　Madame　Graslin　recognized　one　of　those　unbounded　affections　in
which　instinct　blends　with　thought；　and　a　most　active　happiness
strengthens　both　the　will　of　the　instinct　and　the　reasoning　of
thought。

〃This　must　be　the　child　I　have　heard　of；〃　said　Veronique；　motioning　to
the　boy。

〃Yes；　madame。〃

〃Have　you　made　no　attempt　to　find　his　mother？〃　asked　Veronique；　making
a　sign　to　Farrabesche　to　follow　her　a　little　distance。

〃Madame　may　not　be　aware　that　I　am　not　allowed　to　go　beyond　the
district　in　which　I　reside。〃

〃Have　you　never　received　any　news　of　her？〃

〃At　the　expiration　of　my　term；〃　he　answered；　〃I　received　from　the
Commissioner　a　thousand　francs；　sent　to　him　quarterly　for　me　in　little
sums　which　police　regulations　did　not　allow　me　to　receive　till　the　day
I　left　the　galleys。　I　think　that　Catherine　alone　would　have　thought　of
me；　as　it　was　not　Monsieur　Bonnet　who　sent　this　money；　therefore　I
have　kept　it　safely　for　Benjamin。〃

〃And　Catherine's　parents？〃

〃They　have　never　inquired　for　her　since　she　left。　Besides　they　did
enough　in　taking　charge　of　the　little　one。〃

〃Well；　Farrabesche；〃　said　Veronique；　returning　toward　the　house。　〃I
will　make　it　my　business　to　know　if　Catherine　still　lives；　and　if　so；
what　is　her　present　mode　of　life。〃

〃Oh！　madame；　whatever　that　may　be；〃　said　the　man　gently；　〃it　would　be
happiness　for　me　if　I　could　have　her　for　my　wife。　It　is　for　her　to
object；　not　me。　Our　marriage　would　legitimatize　this　poor　boy；　who　as
yet　knows　nothing　of　his　position。〃

The　look　the　father　threw　upon　the　lad　explained　the　life　of　these　two
beings；　abandoned；　or　voluntarily　isolated；　they　were　all　in　all　to
each　other；　like　two　compatriots　adrift　upon　a　desert。

〃Then　you　love　Catherine？〃　said　Veronique。

〃Even　if　I　did　not　love　her；　madame；〃　he　replied；　〃she　is　to　me；　in　my
situation；　the　only　woman　there　is　in　the　world。〃

Madame　Graslin　turned　hurriedly　and　walked　away　under　the　chestnut
trees；　as　if　attacked　by　some　sharp　pain；　the　keeper；　thinking　she　was
moved　by　a　sudden　caprice；　did　not　venture　to　follow　her。



XIV

THE　TORRENT　OF　THE　GABOU

Veronique　remained　for　some　minutes　under　the　chestnut　trees；
apparently　looking　at　the　landscape。　Thence　she　could　see　that　portion
of　the　forest　which　clothes　the　side　of　the　valley　down　which　flows
the　torrent　of　the　Gabou；　now　dry；　a　mass　of　stones；　looking　like　a
huge　ditch　cut　between　the　wooded　mountains　of　Montegnac　and　another
chain　of　parallel　hills　beyond；the　latter　being　much　steeper　and
without　vegetation；　except　for　heath　and　juniper　and　a　few　sparse
trees　toward　their　summit。

These　hills；　desolate　of　aspect；　belong　to　the　neighboring　domain　and
are　in　the　department　of　the　Correze。　A　country　road；　following　the
undulations　of　the　valley；　serves　to　mark　the　line　between　the
arrondissement　of　Montegnac　and　the　two　estates。　This　barren　slope
supports；　like　a　wall；　a　fine　piece　of　woodland　which　stretches　away
in　the　distance